The AppNexus audit evaluates creatives against the standards below. As initial requirements, a single creative must render properly multiple times during the audit process, regardless of any parameter or restriction assigned to the creative. Frequency capping or geo-targeting set outside the AppNexus system will interfere with the audit process. Frequency capping and geo-targeting set inside the AppNexus system will not affect the audit process. Technical attributes Use an approved ad format: GIF or JPEG Flash (see Rich Media requirements below) 3 rd party ad tags must be from approved ad servers DHTML Do not serve blanks Ad successfully delivers the user to an acceptable landing page upon click interaction. The actual dimensions of the ad content match the dimensions configured for the creative Do not use LSO's: Ad creatives hosted by AppNexus or trafficked through the AppNexus platform may not set Flash cookies or other local shared objects (LSO's) for purposes of online behavioral advertising, ad delivery and reporting, or multi-site advertising. Prohibited uses include but are not limited to: storing user ID's, interest segments, user browsing history, or other unique user data. LSO's include flash cookies, browser helper objects, and HTML5 localstorage. Do not set, read, write, modify or delete any cookie on an AppNexus owned or operated domain. Malvertising
AppNexus makes significant efforts to prevent malvertising on the AppNexus platform. AppNexus clients are subject to AppNexus Anti- Malvertising Policy and risk suspension or termination for not adhering to appropriate standards and best practices. AppNexus s Sherlock is an automated creative quality control system that continuously monitors creatives serving on AppNexus for malvertising threats. Sherlock detects malware and viruses, and enforces domain blacklists. It may also check ad tags to verify they are from approved thirdparty ad servers. Malvertising threats identified by Sherlock will be immediately deactivated. Ad content Prohibited content and offer types: Generally Applicable Content Prohibitions Category Hate speech Pornography Malware Content that depicts, contains, or provides access to hate speech: gesture, conduct, writing, or display, including but not limited to anything that may incite violence or prejudicial action against a protected individual or group. Anything that disparages or intimidates a protected individual or group. The law may identify a protected individual or a protected group by race, gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or other characteristics. Content that depicts, contains, or provides access to pornography, nudity, obscenity, and other adult content (Except risqué content as defined by and explicitly permitted by AppNexus). Content that contains, installs, links to, or prompts the download of any malware. For the complete policy and more information, see Malware Policy below. Piracy Content that AppNexus reasonably believes: contains hosted content that is clearly and predominantly material that is likely to infringe or misappropriate a copyright, trademark, trade secret or patent of another party; or clearly induces infringement or misappropriation of a copyright, trademark, trade secret or patent of another party. Weapons Content featuring the sale of or instructions to create bombs, guns, ammunition, or other weapons.
Category Violence Defamation Illegal drugs Auto- downloads Auto- redirect Government forms or services Illegal Morally reprehensible Flash Cookies and other LSOs Fake Errors and Warnings Inadequate privacy notice or consent Interferes with navigation Interferes with other ads Unusual CTR Content that depicts, contains, or provides access to violent content. Content that depicts, contains, or provides access to defamatory content. Content featuring the sale of drugs, pharmaceuticals, or drug paraphernalia that is illegal. Content that depicts, contains, or provides access to any files that execute or download without intentional user interaction. Content that automatically redirects to other sites or apps. Content that depicts, contains, or provides access to offers that charge for government forms or services that are available for a lesser charge or free from the government. Content AppNexus reasonably believes is likely to be in violation of any applicable law, regulation, or court order. Content that AppNexus reasonably deems to be (a) morally reprehensible or patently offensive, and (b) without redeeming social value. Do not use LSO's including flash cookies, browser helper objects, and HTML5 localstorage. Ad creatives hosted by or trafficked through the AppNexus platform may not set Flash cookies or other local shared objects (LSO's) for purposes of online behavioral advertising, ad delivery and reporting, or multi- site advertising. Prohibited uses include, but are not limited to, storing user ID's, interest segments, user browsing history, or other unique user data. Content that displays fake errors or warnings to induce user action, including, for example, warnings about viruses, missing codecs, and corrupt disks. Content that does not provide notice or does not obtain necessary user consent for data collection or for material functionality of a site or software through which ads are delivered, or through which data are collected for subsequent use in advertising. Content that causes interference with user navigation (e.g. preventing a user from leaving a page, by popping dialogs, pop-ups, new windows, etc.). Content that obscures, replaces, modifies, or otherwise interferes with another party s ads or ad inventory. Content with an unusually high click through rate, or content that automatically generates clicks on ad units. Content Allowed but Restricted Category
Category Gambling Buyers: AppNexus prohibits gambling ads from being targeted to serve in countries with laws, rules or regulations that prohibit such advertising. AppNexus permits gambling ads to be targeted to serve in countries where such advertising is not prohibited so long as you and the advertiser comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. Gambling ads are currently prohibited in Russia. In the United States, gambling ads are allowed in only three states (Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware) with restrictions. Gambling ads are allowed with restrictions ingermany. For the complete policy and more information, see Gambling Policy below. Risqué Toolbars, Plugins, Applications, and Similar Inventory Sources Downloads AppNexus will not allow pornographic or obscene content (inventory, ads, and landing pages) to be bought or sold over the AppNexus platform, under any circumstances. However, with explicit permission, "white labeled" (CNAMED) customers may transact in sexually- oriented, non- pornographic, non- obscene content within their own direct relationships on their own managed inventory. Notwithstanding this policy, AppNexus may remove or deactivate any content in its reasonable discretion. For any inventory generated from a user-installed toolbar, plug-in, app, or other mechanism, if the mechanism inserts or otherwise adds advertising units to an inventory source, and such source is owned or operated by a third party that is unaffiliated with the seller of the inventory, and such advertising units are added without explicit authorization from the third party, the inventory may be sold on AppNexus only under the certain conditions. For ads that promote, and directly or indirectly link to sites that contain software, the software must: Not contain malware; Provide the user with clear and conspicuous notice about all material functionality; Obtain informed consent from the user prior to download or installation; Provide an easy- - to- use uninstall to the user; and Allow the user to maintain control over his or her computing environment. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Buyers: No profiling children, no behavioral targeting based on prior visits to child-directed inventory, and no segments targeting children under 13. Also no collection or use of unique identifiers in association with ads served on childdirected inventory. For the complete policy and more information, see COPPA Policy information below.
Prohibited Buy-Side Practices In addition to the other prohibitions and restrictions in AppNexus policy, AppNexus will not allow ads that fall within the following descriptions: Category Interfere with the page Lack functioning click or conversion tracking on CPC or CPA campaigns Ad creatives that display outside the designated space for the ad unit, e.g. in floating layers, are not permitted. All creatives purchasing on a CPC or CPA must have properly functioning click or conversion tracking, respectively. Language: the language of the landing page must match the language of the creative. For example, if the creative is in Spanish, the landing page must be, too. Offer category: audited creatives will be assigned a brand category based on the content of the landing page. Sensitive Categories: creatives that contain content or offers not prohibited but potentially sensitive for some sellers will be flagged and categorized. Brand: Each creative must have a single discernible brand or product offering associated with it. Multiple brands combined to make a single offer will be accepted. Creatives may not rotate brands. Brands must be on the AppNexus brands list (we will add brands as needed). Actions: Clicking on an ad must not initiate a download of any type of file Landing pages must meet AppNexus standards Landing pages Landing pages must open in a new tab or window, and may not navigate away from the publisher s page.
The landing page must match the language, brand, and offer of the creative. Landing pages must otherwise meet AppNexus content standards. Pop Ads Pop-up creatives should be submitted with the media_subtype 2 or 4. Must adhere to our Creative Standards and Auditing: Permitted where publishers allow them Details about size and appearance of the popped window will be specified on the creative. A title is required and AppNexus will automatically append the network's name to the end of the title. If a 3rd party tag is initiating the pop, the tag must express whether the pop is "pop-up" or "pop-under", as well as the size of the pop. AppNexus will verify that the pop matches the configured tag. Only the following sizes will pass audit: 720x300 (pop-under) 250x250 (pop-up) 300x250 (pop-up) 550x480 (pop-up) Webpage pops cannot be audited since AppNexus cannot ensure that the webpage content will not contain objectionable content or other brands. All Pop-up Creatives must not circumvent browser based pop-up blocking technology. All Pop-up Creatives are only available on AppNexus Inventory, no external inventory source e.g. Microsoft Advertising Exchange. Non-English Creatives AppNexus employs human and machine translation to audit non-english content. Adhering to the following recommendations will aid the audit team in efficiently processing non-english content: The more obvious the brand alignment between the creative and the landing page, the easier it is for the audit team to approve the creative.
Use the AppNexus system to set geo-targeting. Geo-targeting set outside the AppNexus system will in most cases interfere with auditors ability to see and audit the creative. Note that the language of the ad and the landing page must match.